"Ah, you're overthinking it," Robert chuckled awkwardly. "I just exaggerated a little."
Cedric felt exhausted. Why did he have to train with this jerk?
"Anyway, the right thing to do is to leave a good impression on Miss Cho Chang. Bullying someone just to get a girl's attention is way too low," Robert paused, then added, "Of course, with your intelligence, Cedric, I'm sure you'd never do something like that."
Cedric ignored him and turned his back.
As Cedric mounted the Cleansweep Six, he immediately noticed the difference from the Nimbus series. This broom had more thrust!
However, after flying a short distance, Cedric understood why the Nimbus series was more popular. The Cleansweep's endurance was lacking.
But Cedric instantly fell in love with it!
The Nimbus series offered the best stability and speed, but for a Chaser, sudden acceleration and braking were what mattered most.
After flying for a while, Cedric felt he had gotten used to the broom and called out to Robert, "Robert, I've got the hang of this broom. You can start the training now!"
Robert raised an eyebrow. If you're so confident...
A black iron ball shot toward Cedric at an incredible speed. Startled, Cedric instinctively bent low, pressing himself against the broom to barely avoid it.
"Whoa! That's way too fast!" Cedric shouted. "Hey, don't you think we should start slower?"
"Hmm? Are you joking, Ced?" Robert raised an eyebrow. "This is already slow."
Cedric almost cursed. He was still a talented rookie, and Bludgers weren't something he usually trained with. Now, he got to experience their speed before the match!
It was way too fast!
Cedric didn't know what spell Robert was using. Ever since Robert learned to cast spells silently, he refused to shout them out loud.
Being chased around the classroom by an iron ball wasn't a pleasant experience. Cedric nearly got hit several times and ended up covered in mud just to avoid it.
In just five minutes, Cedric was a muddy mess.
"Ced, how's it going? I'm about to release the baseball!" Robert said, tapping his wand lightly on the baseball in front of him.
The ball spun in the air, seemingly teleporting as it vanished and reappeared, circling the room, only occasionally pausing long enough to be spotted.
Hearing Robert call him, Cedric instinctively turned around, only for the iron ball to curve around and approach him from behind. With a scream, Cedric was knocked off his broom and into the mud.
As Cedric crawled out of the muck, Robert reached out, pulling him up with a grin. "So, how does it feel? Ready for the match?"
"Too ready," Cedric wiped his face. "By the way, do Bludgers not hurt when they hit someone?"
"Of course... they do," Robert shrugged. "You'll have plenty of chances for pain resistance training, but I'm just using the iron ball to mess with your focus, not to beat you up."
Looking at the baseball darting around the room, Robert kindly reminded him, "If you don't catch that baseball, you won't be getting breakfast."
Cedric's face fell. "Hey, this is just normal training! Do you have to be so harsh?"
As he dodged the terrifying iron ball again, he complained, "Why does this thing always find a way to sneak up on me?"
Robert shrugged. "I don't want to be too strict, but I'm really busy this semester. The only time I can squeeze in for your training is before breakfast on weekends, so I have to be a bit rough."
Then, as if remembering something amusing, he chuckled and added, "If the iron ball hits you head-on, you won't get hurt..."
Cedric turned his face away as the iron ball grazed his cheek, the friction leaving a burning sensation.
"But it'll leave a bruise," Robert said with a grin. "A bruise might make you look pathetic, but it could also catch Miss Cho's attention and earn you some sympathy. What do you think, Ced? Feeling motivated now?"
"No..." Cedric replied weakly. "I just want to punch you."
Cedric realized just how brutal this training was. While dodging drills were tiring, they didn't amount to much in a day. But Robert's iron ball was another story. To avoid its constant attacks, Cedric had to keep shifting his position on the broom. Even with his strong physique, he was starting to feel the strain.
Gymnasts don't even train like this!
Of course, the most important thing was that he had to catch that damn baseball and end this training, or he wouldn't get breakfast!
But where was that baseball?
Cedric looked around. The classroom was well-lit and spacious, with no obstacles.
But where was the baseball?
Below, Robert sat on the ground, watching Cedric fly around like a headless fly. The jerk even waved at him. Cedric cursed him in his mind again and started searching his surroundings.
"Whoosh!" The familiar sound and pressure came again. Cedric adjusted his angle, diving downward and leaning forward to avoid the iron ball.
Taking advantage of the brief respite, Cedric scanned the area. He knew if he didn't find the baseball while the iron ball was away, it would come back to haunt him.
Dodging the iron ball once more, Cedric caught a glimpse of white from the corner of his eye. He turned quickly—it was the damn baseball!
But the next moment, he felt the wind pressure behind him. Cedric's expression changed as he steered the broom to the left, dodging the iron ball but losing sight of the baseball.
Damn it!
Cedric cursed internally. He was so close to catching it!
Ten minutes later, Cedric, now completely covered in mud, finally grabbed the white, mud-smeared baseball and threw it at Robert.
Cedric dismounted his broom, panting and looking utterly miserable. "Robert, you've ruined me!"
Robert caught the baseball with a grin, completely unfazed by Cedric's glare. "Alright, Ced, a bet's a bet. Now help me set up the club!"
So what exactly did we bet on?
(End of Chapter)